Tag Archives: renewal

I don’t have a great deal of time to watch TV these days, but I will occasionally get drawn into shows like Yard Crashers or Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. There are several other shows like these that are fairly popular today. Do you ever wonder why they gain so many viewers?

I’m sure some folks may just like to covet nice things, as they find themselves wanting what they don’t have. But I think there is something else at work that attracts us to seeing old houses renovated and an ugly yard beautifully landscaped. So what is it?

There is a deep satisfaction that resonates within the core of our being when we see old, dead things come alive. I believe that it’s the mark of our Creator. The Lord stands opposed to death and decay in the world.

While death and decay exists for the moment, and even seems necessary for biological evolution, the resurrection of Jesus has expressed God’s true thoughts on the powers of decadence in our world (1 Cor 15:54-56).

We have been hardwired for hope in resurrection and renewal. We can feel it in our bones. Have you sensed it? Can you see it? The entire universe has been prefigured for a spiritual and physical metamorphoses (Rom 8:22-25).

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Isaiah 65:17

The truth is… we like makeovers. And why wouldn’t we? It’s built into us as a signpost of God’s activity in our lives. It reflects his heart for creation. It’s where God is guiding the space-time continuum.

At the end of John’s Revelation, where we see heaven coming to earth and God transforming the world as we know it, we hear Christ speak, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Rev 21:5). Let’s believe it.

If we will listen to the rhythms of the soul we will know it to be true. We caterpillars will one day be transformed into beautiful butterflies!

In the meantime, we are called to live and long for that good end as we work out our salvation. People who hope in the resurrection will celebrate art, beauty, music, and poetry. We will work for renovations, renewal, reconciliation, and redemption of all creation.

Wherever there is darkness, we proclaim in our living that the light has come. Wherever there is death and decay, we call for an extreme makeover.

There is a great deal of talk about renewal, revival, transformation, and mission these days. I don’t see that any lasting change will come from focusing on any of these good things. Primarily, because I think there is something that is better.

I don’t see a return to “mission” and having a big pep rally for Jesus within pop-culture Christianity is the answer. Maybe the Lord doesn’t want a pep-rally. I tend to believe He is tired of all the things we DO in his name and would like us to sit down, be still, and listen.

And yes… even “organic church” can become a substitute for the Lord Himself.

I see all of this as more evidence that many people are still looking for fulfillment outside of knowing the Person of Christ in simple community. They do not see that every good thing comes out of this one thing: being built together as living stones into the centrality and supremacy of Christ.

The Lord moves forward and brings His Kingdom in this way.

This takes time and it calls for us to deny our insistent desire to “do something” for the Lord. It calls for us to wait. And that isn’t something many of us like to do. Especially in this day and age.

We finally come upon the Lord in a new way… and before we know what we really have… before we’ve allowed time for some learning of the Lord’s Person and work… we’re rushing out to convert everyone to a new way of church and trying to convince them to join the “movement.”

Movements can be good for a time, but movements eventually come to an end. Revolutions, on the other hand, permanently change the landscape of the world.

Revolutions are bigger than a few men spearheading a tour that celebrates a new way to do church. A “spiritual” revolution is led by the Spirit and moves in the Lord’s own way and time. And this way seems foolish at first.

Spiritual revolutions are not due to the organizing of men or even to the publication of a few books. They largely move forward underground by a Power quietly working inside the hearts of unknown revolutionaries who are drawing the attention of heaven instead of men.

These revolutionaries recognize that the invitation is open to others, but it is not a revolution that uses coercion. When folks are touching Jesus… He will bring them in to His glorious work in His time.

Outreach is the Lord’s doing by us first doing our in-reach… touching the Lord’s Spirit with our own. When we are doing this… what follows will look much different than the organizing and “evangelizing” of man.

It’s not man’s revolution. It’s the Lord’s reign and rule upon the earth. The Lord’s revolution and His renewing of creation will come by patient endurance in the face of much opposition… letting the Lord have HIS way with folks.

A spiritual revolution doesn’t need the approval of the established institutions. It moves forward with the approval of the Lord and cares not for the observations of the religious.

I see the Lord leading a mighty revolution. But this revolution runs deeper than the surface hype and momentum of man’s organizing and endless scheming for Jesus.

The Lord’s revolutionaries are not distracted by the hype of movements. They are concerned for the Lord’s work in the world, but they see this as first living peaceably with their own community of saints. They know, in time, the Lord will reach out and build his Body in due season.

For those who see the need for spiritual revolution instead of religious reformation… my prayer in 2010 is that you will join the quite revolution and find satisfaction in being discipled by Jesus in a local expression of God’s Kingdom on the earth.